Chapter XXIII.

    “Thou shalt seek the beach of sand
    Where the water bounds the elfin land;
    Thou shalt watch the oozy brine
    Till the sturgeon leaps in the bright moonshine,
    Then dart the glistening arch below,
    And catch a drop from his silver bow;
    The water-sprites will wield their arms,
    And dash around, with roar and rave,
    And vain are the woodland spirit’s charms,
    They are the imps that rule the wave. 
    Yet trust thee in thy single might;
    If thy heart be pure, and thy spirit right,
    Thou shalt win the warlike fight.”

    Drake.

A twelvemonth passed, after the return of the expedition against Betto’s group, without the occurrence of any one very marked event.  Within that time, Bridget made Mark the father of a fine boy, and Anne bore her fourth, child to Heaton.  The propagation of the human species, indeed, flourished marvellously, no less than seventy-eight children having been born in the course of that single year.  There were a few deaths, only one among the adults, the result of an accident, the health of the colony having been excellent.  An enumeration, made near the close of the year, showed a total of three hundred and seventy-nine souls, including those absent in the Rancocus, and excluding the Kannakas.

As for these Kannakas, the results of their employment quite equalled the governor’s expectations.  They would not labour like civilized men, it is true, nor was it easy to make them use tools; but at lifts, and drags, and heavy work, they could be, and were, made to do a vast deal.  The first great object of the governor had been to get his people all comfortably housed, beneath good roofs, and out of the way of the rains.  Fortunately there were no decayed vegetable substances in the group, to produce fevers; and so long as the person could be kept dry, there was little danger to the health.

Four sorts, or classes, of houses were erected, each man being left to choose for himself, with the understanding that he was to receive a certain amount, in value, from the commonwealth, by contribution in labour, or in materials.  All beyond that amount was to be paid for.  To equalize advantages, a tariff was established, as to the value of labour and materials.  These materials consisted of lumber, including shingles, stone, lime and bricks; bricks burned, as well as those which were unburned, or adobe.  Nails were also delivered from the public store, free of charge.

Of course, no one at first thought of building very largely.  Small kitchens were all that were got up, at the commencement, and they varied in size, according to the means of their owners, as much as they differed in materials.  Some built of wood; some of stones; some of regular bricks; and some of adobe.  All did very well, but the stone was found to be much the preferable material, especially where